Boot and shoe clamping device.



W. W. TOWNSEND & W. L. GOSSELIN. BOGT-AND SHOE GLAMPING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED 93u19, 1909.

1,018,627. 19.9911999-Jafn..2, 1912.

" moe/11H9 WILLIAM WARREN TOWNSEND AND WILLIAM LOUIS GOSSELIN, OF RUTLAND, VER- MONT, ASSIGNORS T0 CARL G. KOPPITZ, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

:BOOT AND SHOE CLAMPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 16, 1909.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM WARREN TowNsEND and WILLIAM LoUIs GossnLIN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Rutland, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Boot and Shoe Clamping Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

The invention relates to boot and shoe blackin-g stands, and its object is to provide a new and improved clamping device, arranged to automatically and securely clamp a boot or shoe in position while blacking or polishing it, and to allow a bootblack to conveniently reach every port-ion of the boot or shoe during the blacking or polishing operation. For the purpose mentioned, the clamping means are automatically closed by the pressure of the foot and engage the sole of the boot or shoe at the arch of the foot, that is, below the ankle, to prevent the backward or sidewise motion of the clamped boot or shoe.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying draw ings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the clamping device detached from the plate and showing the clamping jaws in open position; Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the same, part being broken out and showing the clamping jaws in closed position; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device showing the clamping jaws in closed position, and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a modilication.

The boot or shoe clamping device is mounted on a standard A, adapted to be bolted or otherwise attached to a ioor or other support B, and on the upper end of the standard A is formed or secured an inclined rest plate C, shaped to support at its front end C the forward part of the sole D of the boot or shoe D, while the portion D2 of the sole D at the arch of the foot, that is, directly below the ankle of the wearer is rested on a movable rest plate E, having its rear end provided with a depending flange or angular offset E, abutting against the front of the heel D3 of the boot or shoe D, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1. The movable rest plate E is provided with a depending stem E2 mounted to slide in a bearing F formed or secured on a plate F held on the rear end of the rest plate C and provided with downwardly and inwardly extending lugs F2, in which screw set screws G for securing the plate F in position on the fixed rest plate C. If desired the plate F may form an integral part of the rest plate C, as shown in Fig. 5.

The stem E2 of the movable rest plate E is provided with a reduced portion E3, eX- tending through the bottom F3 of the bearing F, and on the said reduced portion E3 is coiled a spring H, resting at its lower end on the said bottom F3, and pressing with its upper end on a shoulder E4 of the stem E2, to normally hold the lat-ter and the plate E in an uppermost position, as'shown in Fig. 2. To the lower end of the reduced stem por- `tion E3 is bolted or otherwise secured a U shaped transversely-extending arm E5, to the upper ends of which are pivoted upwardlyeXtending levers I, having inclined portions I passing through bearings F4 formed in the plate F, as shown in Fig. 3. On the upper terminals of the levers I are secured or formed jaws J, J, adapted to engage opposite sides of the arch portion D2 of the sole D., as shown in Fig. 1. Normally thejawsJ are wide open( see Fig) ,butwhen a boot or shoe is placed in position on the rest plates C and E, and the wearer bears down with his foot, then the movable plate E is forced downward against t-he tension of the spring H. and the arm E5` moving with the plate E now causes an inward swinging of the levers I owing to the inclines I traveling in the bearings F4. The inward swinging motion of the levers I causes the jaws I to clampingly engage the opposite sides of the arch portion D2 of the sole D to securely hold the same in position on the rest plates C and E, at the same time preventing t-he shoe from forward` backward or sidewise movement. Thus while the boot or shoe is clamped in the manner described. the bootblack can properly blacken or polish Lthe boot or shoe and practically reach every part of the boot or shoe without obstruction on the part ofthe clamping device. When it is desired to release the boot or shoe. then the wearer simply raises the foot and with it the boot or shoe, so that the movable rest plate E returns to uppermost position by the action of the spring H, whereby the levers I are caused to swing outward, thus moving the jaws J into a wide open position and out of engagement with the arch portion D2 of the sole D.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the jaws are moved into clamping position bythe wearer of the boot or shoe bearing down with the boot or shoe while the latter is in engagement with the plate E, and when the wearer lifts the shoe the clamping jaws are moved automatically out of engagementl with the sole by the act-ion of the spring H.

The boot or shoe clamping device shown and described, is very simple and durable in construction and composed of comparatively few parts.

Although the clamping device is shown as applied to the sole of the shoe or boot, it is evident. that it may be used on the heel of the boot or shoe.

I-Iaving thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a clamping device for boots and shoes, a vertically movable rest plate, clamping members for engaging the arch portion of the sole of boot or shoe, and means whereby the clamping members are moved into clamping engagement with the sole of a boot or shoe by the depression of the rest plate by the pressure of the foot on the rest plate.

2. In a clamping device for boots and shoes, a vertically movable rest plate, clamping members, connections between the clamping members and the rest plate for operating the latter from the former, and means whereby the clamping members are caused to move toward and from each other when operated by the rest plate. l

3. In a clamping device for boots anc shoes, a vertically movable and spring pressed rest-plate, jaw carrying levers pivotally connected with the rest-plate, and means whereby the levers are caused to swing inward toward each other when the rest-plate is depressed.

4. A clamping device for boots and shoes, comprising a iiXed rest plate for the front end of the sole of the shoe or boot to rest on, a movable rest plate adapted to be engaged by the arch portion of the sole and mounted to slide up and down, levers connected with the said movable rest plate, and jaws on the said levers for clamping opposite sides of the sole of the shoe or boot on depressing the said movable member.

5. A clamping device for boots and shoes, comprising a iiXed rest plate for the front portion of the sole to rest on, a springpressed movable rest plate mounted to slide up and down at the rear end of the said fixed rest plate, the said movable rest plate being adapted to be engaged and pressed downward by the arch portion of the sole, the said movable rest plate having an angular offset for engagement by the heel of the shoe or boot, and levers controlled by the said movable rest plate and carrying jaws engaging opposite sides of the sole at the arch portion on pressing the said movable rest plate downward.

6. A clamping device for boots and shoes, comprising a member provided with a bearing and an opening on each side of the bearing, a rest plate having a stem mounted in the bearing, a spring surrounding the stem, a U-shaped arm secured to the lower end of the stem, levers having inclined portions, said levers being pivoted to the arm and eX- tending through the openings of the bearings, and jaws on the free ends of the levers.

7. A clamping device for boots and shoes, comprising a vertically movable rest plate shaped to fit the arch portion of the sole of the boot or shoe, the rear terminal abutting against the frontend of the heel of the boot or shoe, and a clamping means operated by the rest plate for clampingly engaging the sole at opposite sides at the arch portion of the boot or shoe.

8. A clamping device for boots and shoes, comprising a vertically movable rest plate shaped to fit the arch portion of the sole of the boot or shoe and having a depending flange abutting against the front end of the heel of the boot or shoe, clamping jaws mounted to swing transversely to engage opposite sides of the sole of the shoe or boot, and means for operating the jaws by the vertical movement of the said rest plate.

9. In a support for shoes, the combination of a hollow post, a plunger movably mounted therein, arms provided with jaws connected to the plunger and means for forcing the arms inward to grip the shoe on the inward movement of the plunger.

10. In a support for shoes, the combination of a hollow post or column, a plunger movably mounted therein, arms pivotally connected to the plunger and having outwardly inclined edges, jaws carried by the arms, bearing portions or abutments carried by the post and adapted to engage the inclined edges and force the arms inwardly on the inward movement of the plunger and means for forcing the plunger outwardly.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM WARREN TOWNSEND. WILLIAM Louis GossELiN. Witnesses:

D. A. BAKKER, JARED GARY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

